Rahul Gandhi invokes the Gita at CII meet, leaves India Inc impressed

Congress Vice-president Rahul Gandhi while addressing leaders of India Inc at an event in the national capital invoked the Bhagavad Gita, the sacred Hindu text, saying compassion was key to peace and development.

Gandhi was talking at the annual general meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII). Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had also addressed the corporate honchos on the first day of the meet on Wednesday.

"Our idea is so big that it can take along people outside India also... the idea is compassion... Mahatma Gandhi said it, Buddha said it and it is written in the Gita also," Gandhi said.

The 42-year-old said the solution to the complex problems in India and the various resultant conflicts lay in listening to the people who have no voice and having more inclusive policies.

"If you could just hear what people have to say... it is good; going to the worst enemy and hearing him (out)," said Gandhi.


Gandhi's maiden interaction with industry leaders after he became the Congress vice president left them "impressed".

"It was a very good interaction. It sets the tone for future interaction. He spoke very broadly about various issues," said S. Gopalakrishnan, president designate, CII.

In his speech, Gandhi called for inclusive growth and closer cooperation between industry and the government. However, he did not touch upon the major macro-economic problems like inflation, slowdown in growth and ballooning current account and fiscal deficits.

Gopalakrishnan said the interaction was up to the expectations of the industry leaders. "This was his first engagement with the business community and he met the industry's expectation."


CII president Adi Godrej said Gandhi's ideas were brilliant and they should inspire industry and the government to work in unison.

"Rahul Gandhi was requested to address the plenary session on his general views which he did in a superb manner, and I think it was very well accepted by the audience," Godrej said.

During an hour-long interaction, 42-year-old Rahul Gandhi, who became the vice president of the 127-year-old Congress Party on January 19, spoke on many issues and answered questions from business leaders with confidence.

Reacting to the speech, Bajaj Group chairman Rahul Bajaj said the industrialists were captivated by Gandhi's interaction.

"I don't think he limited himself to deficit or inflation. He is not in the government, that is not his job. He is concerned about the people. He talked of harmony, compassion and working together," Bajaj said.

Bharti Airtel chairman Sunil Bharti Mittal said the speech was rare and inspirational. "It was an outstanding speech... He understood importance of technology and inclusion, which gives us hope as future leader," Mittal said.

With inputs from IANS